2026

First Friday Ethics (May 2026)

STUDIO WEBCAST May 1, 2026 $145 Individual

Overview

10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (3.00 hr ethics)

Need ethics credit? We’ve got you covered! UT Law CLE’s First Friday Ethics streams live every first Friday of the month, and features some of our best ethics speakers and presentations for a total of 3.00 hrs ethics credit. Fulfill your entire annual ethics requirement in Texas in one day!

10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. (0.75 hr ethics)

Ethics Game Show (Replay)

Watch shameless appellate practitioners try to outgame each other as they answer ethics questions savvy practitioners need to know.

Hon. Tanya Garrison, 157th District Court - Houston, TX

Hon. Daryl L. Moore, Ahmad Zavitsanos & Mensing PLLC - Houston, TX

Alan York, Reed Smith LLP - Houston, TX

10:55 a.m. to 11:40 p.m. (0.75 hr ethics)

What is a Lawyer’s Responsibility in a Democracy Under Duress? (Replay)

How should lawyers respond to actions that threaten democracy and the rule of law?

Michael Curry, Attorney-Mediator - Austin, TX

11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. (0.50 hr ethics)

Forgetting Who Your Client Is (Replay)

The cooperation between trustees, beneficiaries, and other interested parties often seen in Special Needs Trusts may create a trap for the unwary practitioner. This presentation provides practical guidance and ethical requirements for maintaining appropriate attorney/client relationships, not accidentally forming attorney/client relationships, and keeping in mind the client’s needs and duties in forwarding the progress of a SNT.

Jennifer L. Coulter, Townsend Allala, Coulter & Kludt, PLLC - El Paso, TX

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. (1.00 hr ethics)

Negotiating Tactics in Energy Disputes: From Good to Ugly (Replay)

Break down negotiation approaches commonly used in energy disputes—the “good” (effective and ethical), the “bad” (ineffective), and the “ugly” (counterproductive and potentially unethical). Using real-world hypotheticals, discuss actionable strategies to avoid wasted leverage, spot ethical pitfalls, and recognize when aggressive negotiation tactics cross the line into ethical violations.

Austin W. Brister, McGinnis Lochridge - Houston, TX

Paul D. Clote, JAMS - Houston, TX

If you cannot watch the entire webcast at its scheduled time, register now and view the recording and eCourse when it is available in “Your Briefcase” after the webcast. Earn CLE credit (in TX and CA) on your time!

Event Schedule

Program is subject to change.
All times are Central Time Zone.

Time

Credit

Subject

Speaker
Friday Morning, May 1, 2026
10:00 am

0.75 hr ethics

Ethics Game Show (Replay)

Watch shameless appellate practitioners try to outgame each other as they answer ethics questions savvy practitioners need to know.

Moderator:
Hon. Tanya Garrison, 157th District Court - Houston, TX
Panelists:
Hon. Daryl L. Moore, Ahmad Zavitsanos & Mensing PLLC - Houston, TX
Alan York, Reed Smith LLP - Houston, TX

Moderator:
Hon. Tanya Garrison, 157th District Court - Houston, TX
Panelists:
Hon. Daryl L. Moore, Ahmad Zavitsanos & Mensing PLLC - Houston, TX
Alan York, Reed Smith LLP - Houston, TX
10:45 am

10-Minute Break
10:55 am

0.75 hr ethics

What is a Lawyer’s Responsibility in a Democracy Under Duress? (Replay)

How should lawyers respond to actions that threaten democracy and the rule of law?

Michael Curry, Attorney-Mediator - Austin, TX

Michael Curry, Attorney-Mediator - Austin, TX
11:40 am

10-Minute Break
11:50 am

0.50 hr ethics

Forgetting Who Your Client Is (Replay)

The cooperation between trustees, beneficiaries, and other interested parties often seen in Special Needs Trusts may create a trap for the unwary practitioner. This presentation provides practical guidance and ethical requirements for maintaining appropriate attorney/client relationships, not accidentally forming attorney/client relationships, and keeping in mind the client’s needs and duties in forwarding the progress of a SNT.

Jennifer L. Coulter, Townsend Allala, Coulter & Kludt, PLLC - El Paso, TX

Jennifer L. Coulter, Townsend Allala, Coulter & Kludt, PLLC - El Paso, TX
12:20 pm

10-Minute Break
12:30 pm

1.00 hr ethics

Negotiating Tactics in Energy Disputes: From Good to Ugly (Replay)

Break down negotiation approaches commonly used in energy disputes—the “good” (effective and ethical), the “bad” (ineffective), and the “ugly” (counterproductive and potentially unethical). Using real-world hypotheticals, discuss actionable strategies to avoid wasted leverage, spot ethical pitfalls, and recognize when aggressive negotiation tactics cross the line into ethical violations.

Austin W. Brister, McGinnis Lochridge - Houston, TX
Paul D. Clote, JAMS - Houston, TX

Austin W. Brister, McGinnis Lochridge - Houston, TX
Paul D. Clote, JAMS - Houston, TX
1:30 pm

Presentations Conclude

Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Austin W. Brister

McGinnis Lochridge
Houston, TX

Paul D. Clote

JAMS
Houston, TX

Jennifer L. Coulter

Townsend Allala, Coulter & Kludt, PLLC
El Paso, TX

Michael Curry

Attorney-Mediator
Austin, TX

Hon. Tanya Garrison

157th District Court
Houston, TX

Hon. Daryl L. Moore

Ahmad Zavitsanos & Mensing PLLC
Houston, TX

Alan York

Reed Smith LLP
Houston, TX

Credit Info

STUDIO WEBCAST

MCLE Credit

Texas – 3.00 hrs | 3.00 hrs Ethics

You may claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas. A Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you upon claiming credit. The system reports Texas CLE credit every Tuesday. If you are claiming credit in the last week of your birth month, self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com, using the course number provided on your certificate of attendance.

California – 3.00 hrs | 3.00 hrs Ethics

To claim California MCLE credit, California credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. Verification pop-ups will NOT display when the webcast video player is in "full screen" mode. Furthermore, the notification sound effect alerting pop-ups, will NOT play on mobile devices. We recommend viewing from a computer, as opposed to a mobile device, should MCLE credit, other than Texas, be needed. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.
You must claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. UT Law CLE is required to provide the State Bar with electronic attendance records for any MCLE participatory activity within 60 days of completion of the activity. The California licensee is responsible for reporting their compliance/credit hours earned to the State Bar at the end of their reporting period directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Oklahoma – Expected – 3.50 hrs | 3.50 hrs Ethics

To claim Oklahoma MCLE credit, Oklahoma credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. Verification pop-ups will NOT display when the webcast video player is in "full screen" mode. Furthermore, the notification sound effect alerting pop-ups, will NOT play on mobile devices. We recommend viewing from a computer, as opposed to a mobile device, should MCLE credit, other than Texas, be needed. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #169) live webcast presentations meet the requirements and are presumptively approved by the Oklahoma Bar Association for MCLE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Upon claiming credit, a Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the webcast.

Pennsylvania – 3.00 hrs | 3.00 hrs Ethics

To claim Pennsylvania MCLE credit, Pennsylvania credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. Verification pop-ups will NOT display when the webcast video player is in "full screen" mode. Furthermore, the notification sound effect alerting pop-ups, will NOT play on mobile devices. We recommend viewing from a computer, as opposed to a mobile device, should MCLE credit, other than Texas, be needed. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

UT Law CLE is an approved provider of Pennsylvania credit, sponsor #236. Attorney attendance will be reported to Pennsylvania within 2 weeks after credit is claimed and submitted. Attorneys are not able to report this credit on their own, and UT Law CLE pays all associated fees for the credit hours. Contact us at accreditation@utcle.org if you have additional questions.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Other States – Expected – 3.00 hrs | 3.00 hrs Ethics

Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State

If you wish to satisfy MCLE or other professional education requirements in another state for a program offered by the University of Texas School of Law, please check with the state bar or other licensing authority in that state to ensure it will qualify for self-reporting your credits.

To claim Other States MCLE credit, Other States credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. You must claim and certify your credit online in Your Briefcase, you will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records and to provide to other licensing authorities as needed.

This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.

Key Dates

STUDIO WEBCAST – May 1, 2026

STUDIO WEBCAST

Individual
$145.00

Cancellation Policy
Last day for full refund cancellation: Apr 24, 2026
$0 processing fee applied after this date
Last day for cancellation: May 25, 2026